Electric engine.



N. J. LE GRANDE.

ELECTRIC ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20. 1915.

PatellwdSept. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETS -SHEET I.

R. C. PRICE.

FARE REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 21, 1910.

1,185,934. Patented June 6,1916.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2- INVENTOB NICHOLAS J. LE GRANDE, OF GOODWIN, ARKANSAS.

ELECTRIC ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed February 20, 1915. Serial No. 9,635.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NICHOLAS J. Ln GRANDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Goodwin, in the county of St. Francis and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically operated motors or engines and has for its primary object to provide a device of such character that is of simple construction, may be operated cheaply and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an electric engine which comprises a crank shaft and a plurality of electromagnets, rods carrying armatures being connected with the crank shaft and operatively associated with the electromagnets in such manner that the crank shaft is rotated rapidly and with considerable power.

Another object is to provide simple and effective means for alternately energizing the several magnets in order that a reciprocatory motion of the rods which are connected with the crank shaft is had.

Another object is to provide means for cutting out the electrical current to the magnets when the crank shaft reaches a predetermined speed and for maintaining the motion of the crank shaft after the engine is prevented operation, for a short duration.

Another object is to generally improve electric engines of the character described so as to render them more practical. simple as to construction, reliable and eflicient in operation and more commercially desirable.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

\Vith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention'as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of my improved engine showing the wiring diagram for the magnets, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlarged deta1l sectional view of the automatic circuit closlng means for the several magnets, and 1 1g. 4: is an enlarged side elevation of the balance wheel showing the governing means for breaking the circuit for the magnets.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1, 2, 3, and *1 designate verti cal supporting members that are arranged in palrs. Extending outwardly at right angles from the supports of each pair a re horizontal supports 5 and 6. These supports 5 and 6 are arranged in pairs; two pairs being provided for each pair of the supports 1, 2, 3, and 4. Carried by each of the members 5 are a plurality of electromagnets 7 preferably 4 being provided. These magnets are arranged to attract at both ends and are disposed between the pairs of supports 1, and 2 and 3 and 4. Carried by the supports 6 which are arranged below the supports 5 are electromagnets 8 arranged similarly to the one 7 and which are of the same type.

Slidably mounted between the supports 1, and 2, and 3 and 4 are frames 9 each of which comprises spaced horizontally disposed armature plates 10 and 11 which are connected by means of vertical rods 12. The armature plates 10 is arranged to be attracted by the lower ends of the magnets 8 and the plates 11 by the upper ends of the magnets 7. Connecting rods 13 connect the lower armature plate 10 with the horizontally disposed crank shaft 14 which is mounted in suitable bearings 15. These connecting rods 13 are pivotally joined as at 16, intermediate their ends. A connecting rod 17 is operatively connected at its lower end with the crank shaft 14 and is provided with a pivotal joint 18 intermediate its ends.

The rods 17 are slidably mounted in apertures in the armature plate 10 and extend upwardly between the lower magnets 8. The upper ends of the rods 17 terminate above the plane of the magnets 8 and have secured thereon horizontally disposed armature plates 19. These plates 19 are disposed between the opposed ends of the magnets 7 and 8 and are arranged to be moved upwardly and downwardly upon energization of said magnets.

I have shown similar operating means comprising the magnets, slidable frames and supports and which, for the sake of clearness are designated A and B respectively. It is to be understood, however, that I may provide any number of these operating units,

inasmuch as they are identical as to construction and arrangement.

1 provide a battery or suitable source of electrical current 20. Leading from one pole of the source of current is a con- '(lll('l:()1' 21 which is connected with the magnets 8 of the unit B. Conductors 22 connect the several magnets 8 and a conductor 23 leads from the magnets 8 to the magnets 7 of the unit AI These magnets 7 are electrically connected by conductors similar to the ones 22 and a conductor 24 leads from the magnets 7 to a contact member designated 25 as an entirety and which is carried by the shaft 14. From the contact member a conductor 26 leads and is connected with the opposite pole of the source of current 20 as compared with the conductor 21. Leading from the member 25 is a conductor 27 which is connected with the magnets 8 of the unit A. A conductor 28 leads from the magnets 8 of the unit A to the magnets 7 of the unit B and the circuit is completed by means of the conductor 29 which is connected with the magnets 7 of the unit B and conductor 21.

Mounted loosely upon the shaft 14 is a circular disk 30 which is insulated from the bearing 15 and arranged arcuately about the shaft 14 and upon the outer face of the disk 30 are a plurality of segmental or arcuate contact plates 31, 32, 33 and 34. The number of these plates is gaged in accordance with the number of units A and B that are used in making up an engine, since the shaft illustrated in the drawings rotates 45 degrees upon operation of each set of magnets as will be later more fully described. Only four segmental contact plates are needed.

The plates are insulated from the disk 30 and are electrically connected. A conductor 35 electrically connects the contacts 31 and 33, said contacts being arranged on the opposite sides of the shaft and spaced by the contacts 34 and 32.

A conductor 36 connects the contacts 32 and 34 with one another. The conductors 24 and 27 are connected with the contacts 31 and 33, and 32 and 34 respectively. The conductor 26 is ground in the bearing 15.

Fixed upon the shaft 14 and extending at right angles thereto is a contact shoe 37 which is arranged to engage with the several contacts 31, 32, 33 and 34. In this connection it will be noted that the contact plates are spaced from one another and insulated from each other at their ends. It will be seen that as the shaft is rotated the magnets 7 and 8 of the units A and B respectively will be alternatively energized causing the frame 9 of both units to reciprocate correspondingly and transmit a rotary movement to the shaft 14.

Loosely mounted upon the crank shaft 14- is a fiy-wheel 38 which carries a cog gear 39 upon its inner face. Mounted in an upstanding support 40 is a horizontal shaft 41 which carries a small cog gear 42 and a larger gear 43. The gear 43 is approximately the same size as the one 39 and meshes therewith while the gear 42 nieshes with a. considerably larger gear 44 that is keyed upon the shaft 14. \Vith this arrangement of gears it will be seen the fly-wheel 38 rotates considerably faster than the shaft 14. Carried adjacent to the fly-wheel 38 is a horizontal rotatable shaft 45. A friction gear 46 is carried by the shaft and frictionally engages the fly-wheel 38 upon the periphery thereof. A centrifugal governor 47 is operatively associated with the shaft 45 and includes a sleeve 48 which is slidable upon said shaft. Carried by the sleeve 48 and extending outwardly therefrom, is a contact arm 49 which slidably engages a horizontally disposed contact plate 50 carried upon a suitable support 51.,

The contacts 49 and 50 are arranged for cooperation when the engine is running at normal speed but when the engine reaches a predetermined speed the contacts 49 and 50 disengage and the circuit for the units 1 A and B of the engine is broken. In this connection it will be noted that the wire 21 is connected with the members 49 and 50 respectively so as to include them in the cir- 1 cuit. When the circuit is broken the fly- 3 wheel serves to rotate the shaft 14 for a considerable length of time.

With reference to the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be observed that I have provided an electric engine which will be operated in a reliable and effective manner at a low current consumption. An engine constructed in accordance with my invention may be made comparatively small and will prove of great service in operating advertising signs and the like.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above descri tion, as the preferred embodiment, is tl ie most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without merificing any of the advantages of my invention, as claimed.

What is claimed is 1. An electric engine comprising a plurality of vertically extending supports, magnet supporting brackets extending inwardly from each of said supports, magnets supported by the brackets, said magnets being double ended and superimposed in vertical alinement, frames slidable in the supports,

armature plates forming the end bars of the frames, the upper armature plate adapted to be acted upon by the magnetic flux of the upper pole pieces of the uppermost magnets,

the lower armature plate of each frame being adapted to be acted upon by the magnetism of the lower pole pieces of the lowermost magnets, a crank shaft rotatably mounted beneath the standards, connecting rods connecting the frames with the crank shaft, the lowermost armature plate being provided with a central opening, a rod slidable through the opening, a connecting rod connected to the rod and to the crank shaft, and an armature plate carried by the end of the rod opposite the connecting rod and adapted to be attracted by the magnetism of the lower pole pieces of the upper magnets and the upper pole pieces of the lower magnets.

1.. An electric engine comprising a plurality of standards arranged in pairs, supporting brackets projecting inwardly from each of the standards, pairs of magnets supported in the supporting brackets, frames slidable between the standards, armature plates forming the end members of the frames, the uppermost armature plates being adapted to be attracted by the pole pieces of the uppermost magnets, the lowermost armature plates being adapted to be attracted by the lower pole pieces of the lowermost magnets, a crank shaft rotatably mounted beneath the magnets, connecting rods connecting the frames with the crank shaft, armature lates operable between the adjacent ends of the pairs of magnets and adapted to be attracted by the upper and lower pole pieces of the lower and upper magnets respectively, the lowermost armature plates of each frame being provided with a central opening, a rod connected to each of the intermediate armature plates and slidable through the openings in the armature plates of the frames, and a connecting rod connecting the last mentioned rod with the crank shaft and means carried by the crank shaft to control the energization of the magnets.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NICHOLAS J. LE GRANDE.

Witnesses:

' J. E. BREWER, A. BUCHHOLZ. 

